THE COYOTE WHO BROUGHT DOWN THE STARS
Xena turned watching as two temples appeared bellow both rose high above the forest. If anything the people of Mexica built huge glorious monuments to their gods. She pulled Argo to the side slightly so she closer to her lover who was flying full force on the un-dead horse. Her gaze turned to Itzli who said nothing as he gripped Argo's saddle tightly. Gabrielle looked up sharply they had to get out of the air she kicked the horse's sides bringing it down. She watched as her lover followed her she felt the force as her horse's hooves hit the solid ground hard. She pulled the reins bringing her horse to a sharp stop her gaze wandered for a long moment she recognised this place, though it felt like a life time since she'd last been here.
The swamp lands which they had flown over minutes ago had caused her to turn slightly as her memories came flooding back to her. She pulled her self off the saddle watching as Xena landed next to her bringing Argo to a gentle stop. She watched as the taller woman pulled herself from the saddle followed by Itzli, this was Xochiquetzal's region and the best place to pass through. They had to avoid Tezcatlipoca's region at all costs she felt her gaze drift there was a small spring pool close by which they could use to refill the water skins and give Argo a better and much more satisfying drink. Xena slowly looked around her at the thick jungle. "Where are we?" Gabrielle lowered her gaze as she took hold of her horse's reins. "This is the region of the fertility goddess Xochiquetzal."
Xena took a slow step forward. "Is this place safe?" Gabrielle looked up slightly she found herself laughing but it was an emotionless laugh. "No where in Mexica is safe…" Xena slowly met her gaze. "I'm starting to see that." She moved forward as she caught sight of the cut on her lover's eyebrow which had dried blood on it. "You're hurt." Gabrielle eased up her finger pulling them away only to see dried blood. "It's nothing just a scratch…" Xena moved slowly forward ignoring Itzli as she put a hand under the younger woman's chin lifting her head. "He wounded you with his axe." Gabrielle winced slightly as her lovers hand touched her wound. "I wasn't quick enough to dodge I'm rusty with the sai blades."
Xena slowly eased her forward then sat her down on the grass. "Let me clean that up for you." She moved over to Argo pulling the medical bag free, she walked back then slowly sat herself down in front of her lover. Her gaze moved as the un-dead horse sat itself down while Argo moved over the stream to drink. She pulled the wooden pot free with the paste. "This is going to sting." Gabrielle smiled slightly as she met her lover's gaze. "You used that pot so much in Messene, every day I had a new wound for you to clean up or stitch." Xena watched her wince as she rubbed the paste in, she smiled slightly. "I liked cleaning you up, it gave me lots to do." She felt her smile widened. "I mean you got to throw your weight around instead of me for a change."
Gabrielle winced again. "I wouldn't say throwing my weight around was the right term. Technically I was werewolf who had more weight to throw around." Xena smirked slightly. "What ever works best for you?" She pulled away closing the box she breathed deeply as she focused her thoughts. "What was that dream about you had last night?" Gabrielle turned slightly. "It was nothing…." Xena narrowed her gaze. "That dream wasn't nothing…you attacked me in your sleep." Gabrielle turned to meet her gaze she felt herself breathe in sharply. "I know what I did! I don't need you to remind me!" Xena pulled back slightly, she breathed in deeply trying to keep herself calm. "Were you having a vision?" Gabrielle felt her gaze dart. "I think it was a vision, but I don't know." She put a hand through her hair frustration. "Some one was attacking me." Xena moved a little closer. She watched as Itzli took a drink from the spring before sitting down close by. "Who was attacking you?" Gabrielle shook her head. "A female warrior but she wasn't like Itzli she had a black and white Coyote headdress…I didn't recognise it."
Xena slowly looked up. "What happened?" Gabrielle put her hands together. "She was attacking me and I couldn't beat her, for every move I did she had a counter. It was like she knew me inside out and I was just defenceless…she stabbed me in the side and that's when I woke up. I thought you were her and I attacked…it was impulsive." Xena leaned forward putting her hand around the Aztec pendent. "I saw this glow just after you attacked me…do you know why it did that?" Gabrielle looked at the pendent for a long moment. "I've never seen it do that before…I don't know why it would glow. It only glows for the gods it's not meant to glow for people other than when it's given blood for a service."
She shook her head. "Unless…" Xena turned sharply. "Unless what?" Gabrielle breathed in deeply. "She drank my blood once I was passed out at the time…but remember how weak I felt when I woke up. I thought I was going to die, I never knew how much she drank." She shook her head again. "I stole her pendent afterwards…so I could give it to the feathered serpent since that was our agreements." Xena leaned over gently putting a hand on her lover's. "It's okay I understand…that pendent for the map to C'thulon." Gabrielle looked at the thick jungle around her. "I never wanted to steal anything…I just lost my way and anything seemed like a good idea at the time." Xena slowly met her gaze. "I would've done the same for you…you know that don't you?" Gabrielle nodded calmly. "I know."
8
Ares grunted painful as he was dragged further in to the jungle the rope around his wrists was burning and sending waves of pain through his body with every move he made. She was super heating the rope itself and he had no idea how, in his already weakened state he couldn't fight back. He stopped sharply feeling himself cough painfully. She had his sword in her hand, he felt himself stumbled slightly. "You know you have a poor sense of humour." Chantico turned sharply her good eye moving to his gaze. "Spare me your whining lesser god." She smiled slightly at least she wasn't as hungry as she had been drinking his blood while he had been passed out it had helped to stop her raging hunger.
She knew she wasn't supposed to be here but she didn't care she had an idea. Hopefully one that might bring part of her power back to its normal level Huitzilopochtli was bound to want this lesser war god. Truth was he'd probably get more fun out of tormenting him than her, and perhaps she could make a deal worth her while. After all he didn't hate her like he hated Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. He also hated Xochipilli the love god but that was for some reason which she'd never been able to get her head around, not that she cared to ask the reason. Despite his kindness towards his people the sun and war god had a very short temper when it came to the other gods. Not that it would matter he wouldn't harm her if she had something of value.
Ares groaned again in pain. "My name is Ares!" Chantico turned sharply eyeing him. "Your name is a worthless thing to me war god…you think that your name means anything here because it doesn't?!" She yanked him forward catching sight of another of the sun gods temples. "Your name is meaningless here because in this place you are powerless." She moved towards the empty temple dragging him up the steps ignoring his painfully moans. "You'll die just like every other lesser god who's come here looking for a challenge or perhaps something more." She flung him around watching as he hit the temple altar hard on his side. Her gaze drifted as she caught sight of a small bowl of blood sitting on the altar's side she slowly picked it up taking a long drink from it.
"How dare you drink blood, which belongs to me!"
Chantico ignored the lesser gods shock as the sun god appeared in a flash of gold fire, his larger presence looming over her. She carried on drinking ignoring him, it was human blood and it had been to long. "So nice of you to come I thought you would but I thought I'd indulge myself first." Huitzilopochtli narrowed his gaze. "I see you've healed some more since we last met…." Chantico finished the bowl. "You know the blood of your enemies tastes disgusting may be you shouldn't feed of the feathered serpents living warriors. I always found them quite bitter tasting myself." Huitzilopochtli folded his arm his amber gaze narrowing. "I only tolerate you Chantico because of your partner you do well to remember that!"
Chantico narrowed her good eye. "Please spare me your pity…that time has been and gone." Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply. "I don't pity you Chantico far from it I admire your will to survive and fight back." He narrowed his gaze. "I just don't understand why you don't go back to her it's where you truly belong and she would welcome you with open arms." He met her good eye. "Instead you hide away burning with hated as you plot against Tezcatlipoca." Chantico sneered slightly. "Don't patronize me Tezcatlipoca was the one who did this to me! How can I ever return to her! I failed her I was supposed to project her and I was defeated in battle and left for dead and she was forced to marry him!"
She raised a hand. "I'm a beaten goddess and I'd shame her!" Ares coughed painfully. "Well that explains why you're such a bitch…you're a failure." Chantico didn't think as she slammed her fist in to his face watching as blood flew through the air as his head slammed in to the altar. "Coming from a pathetic lesser god like you I find that remark very amusing!" She grabbed his throat slamming his head harder in to the stone as she eyed the sun god. "As you can see I brought you a gift…a mouthy stupid lesser war god who calls himself Ares." Huitzilopochtli took a step forward watching as she let go of the lesser god's throat. "The Greek God of War if you could call him that he's a vile war god who cares about no one but himself."
He turned slightly meeting her good green eye. "What's your price?" Chantico smiled slightly keeping hold of the rope, good she had his attention. "In your grand city you have a second temple which isn't used much…I want a safe haven there to heal fully." Huitzilopochtli snarled aloud. "No!" Chantico took a step forward meeting his amber gaze. "I will not bother your people…the truth is we are both on the same side." She sneered slightly. "We both hate Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca." She pulled on the rope harshly. "This god comes from Greece is that not the birth place of your beloved Blood Jaguar?" She smiled inwardly seeing his eyes light up slightly as he looked at the lesser god. The other gods knew about his love for that mortal but very few knew how deep it went. "I could take him away if you can't decide I'm sure I can drink him dry in a month."
Huitzilopochtli pulled up his hand. "No!" He stepped forward so he was towering over her again. "You can have the temple but stay out of my keep! I'll kill you myself if I find you there!" Chantico raised her hand. "I wouldn't bother you or your private time I'm sure you have far to many women lining up to be in your bed chamber, I wouldn't want to interrupt your fun…." Huitzilopochtli eyed her grabbing the rope. "Your temple is your own keep you do not abuse my people in any way you will get your share of human blood." Chantico raised her hands. "Of course…I just want the keep and your human blood nothing more." Huitzilopochtli narrowed his gaze. "Then our deal is settled…do not disappoint me." Ares looked up he didn't get a chance to speak as the sun gods fist slammed in to his face. He felt his body as it hit the floor hard along with the pain which had been the worst he ever had, it was almost constant. He watched as the world turned to bright sun light as he was teleported, he felt his eyes close as he passed out again.
8
Baldomero smiled as he ripped a skeletons arm off he pulled it up looking at all the gold and silver rings. This was bliss he'd never seen so much gold the Aztec's were fools for leaving it all here. He spat slightly cursed gold there was no such thing, all Aztec gold was for keeps. He'd been stealing from temples for years and no harm had ever come to him. What was even better was that he'd ditched the little blonde bitch and her walking wall of a partner. He threw the now bare skeleton arm back on the pile as he carried on moving through the dead grave yard. He pulled the necklace free from another skeleton. Gabrielle was insane it was highly unlikely she'd survive this land a second time around. It was shocking that she'd survived the first time around and managed to get out of Mexica in one piece. He'd felt her to die she should've died like everyone else. She wasn't like him he was a veteran of these lands a genius who made his own way in life and found his own fortune. Yes people got hurt and died along the way but that was Mexica it was survival of the fittest, he grinned as ripped off another skeletons arm.
"Well aren't you a vile little man…."
Baldomero turned only to feel a cold point at his neck the weapon was forced forward as the female voice hit the air again. "No please don't move it'll give me a reason to kill you." He blinked as he realized that who ever was speaking was speaking in Greek very clear Greek in fact. It wasn't one of the Nahuatl deflects which were the native languages here. He smiled slightly. "I'm just a poor man trying to get by." He turned finally catching sight of who had a weapon to his neck. It was a young woman wearing a beautiful black and white feathered headdress which had the head of a coyote plated in gold. He narrowed his gaze she didn't quite look like one of the native people her skin was a tone lighter and she was quite small in height.
Ether she was a child from the some one who had landed and had been captured then forced to impregnate an Aztec woman. Or she was someone who had been stranded here a very long time. He could now see that the weapon wasn't Aztec ether it was a Japanese katana with a woven gold and red handle. "An Aztec who speaks Greek that's new, tell me are you using that big sword to make up for your small stature?" The woman pushed the blade in deeper. "This sword was used to kill the feathered serpent twelve elite warriors it has seen more blood than you can ever imagine." Baldomero eyed the young woman again. "Oh I can imagine…so what price do I have to pay to keep my blood from joining it?" The woman smiled slightly. "The owner of this sword is called the Blood Jaguar tell me where is she?"
Baldomero looked up slightly. "Blood Jaguar I don't know any Blood Jaguar!" The woman narrowed her brown gaze. "Don't play games with me Baldomero…I know a lot about you more than you can possibly imagine. I know you've been stealing from here for years. I know the goddess of death wants your head on a platter…so spare me your lies." Baldomero breathed in sharply. "Okay so you know me…then help me, by telling me the Blood Jaguar's real name…then I might be able to tell you where she is." The woman's blade pushed in to his neck, her cold voice hit the air. "Her true name is Gabrielle, and I know she was here." Baldomero pulled up sharply. "Gabrielle, wait…you mean Xena's Gabrielle?"
The woman's cold voice hit the air. "Yes I mean Xena's, Gabrielle that long blonde haired green eyed bitch!" Baldomero smiled slightly. "Bitch is about the right word I use. Along with insane psychopath who's hiding behind a very pretty face…which is a lot younger now might I add?" The young woman sneered slightly. "Don't bother me with information I already no." Baldomero turned slightly. "Before I answer the question tell me, what do you want with her?" The woman snarled aloud. "She took something very valuable from me a long time ago I want it back!" Baldomero raised an eyebrow. "Could you be more pacific?" The woman looked up slightly. "I'm the Star Coyote I have no need to explain myself to you…I've seen the stars of creation and the fires of destruction."
Baldomero smirked slightly. "Well if your looking for Xena's little bitch I saw her last flying towards Xochiquetzal's realm." He felt his grin widen. "It'll take you a while to catch up…you should run along." He felt the sword as it was pulled away from his neck he watched as she walked forward so she was standing next to him. "You might be able to catch up if you run." He laughed slightly watching as Star Coyote slowly re sheathed the katana in a fluid motion. "You'll have to run fast." Her brown gaze slowly narrowed. "You've always been a fool Baldomero." Baldomero didn't get a chance to think as she slammed her fist in to his face. He felt the force as he fell back smashing in to the bones of the grave yard full force, he looked up only to feel the pain as he was hit a second time. He felt his body sag as he passed out in to darkness. The Star Coyote eyed him for a long moment she an evil smile slowly spreading across her face as she ran her fingers over the highly decorated Japanese scabbard. "I'm sure Itzpapalotl will get a lot of pleasure out of flaying you alive." She pulled up the Aztec pendent around her neck up watching as it glowed with red light. "I'll use your spilt blood to finish my poem."
8
Lila looked in to her goblet of clear gold liquid she knew it was alcohol she could tell by the sharp taste, the sweet taste of pineapple was what hid it slightly. She pulled off the head dress watching as it hit the floor hard close by as she covered her face with her hands. She'd never felt so lost in all her life as she did at this moment. She would have done any thing not to know the truth she would have been happy to be obvious to it all. Her sister was a killer she'd killed in cold blood which was no better than being a murder. She took another long drink not caring that she'd never been good with alcohol. Compared to her sister she had always gotten drunk a lot quicker on a lot less.
Her sister those words seemed so tarnished now, she'd always imagined her as the hero who fought for good and who did what was right for others. It was a romantic notion that she'd always held so close to her heart. That she could turn to other people and say there is my sister, my sister the hero my sister who is the equal of the Warrior Princess. She took another long drink as she lowered her head sadly people had always branded Xena the murder. The killer, the insane warlord could not to be trusted, but now here she was realizing that the insane one wasn't the Warrior Princess it was her own sister. In the memory she'd seen her sister use the pinch which Xena used.
Had Xena taught her how to do that and if so why? Why would she teach her how to kill someone like that it was so evil? Had she spent so many years of her life defending the Warrior Princess with out realizing that Xena was turning her sister in to killer? Had her father been right about the Warrior Princess all along? Was the truth that she just couldn't see the wood for the trees she'd never faulted her sister because she could see the love in her eyes that she'd always had for the dark haired warrior. Again this sister was not her sister but the other from an alternate timeline. When had she learnt to kill with such malice and who had taught her how to hate like she did? How had she come to love killing and take pleasure in the suffering of others, what had driven her to become such a brutal monster? She didn't know her sister was capable of such evil. Even the eyes weren't her sisters they were the eyes of some one she didn't recognise or no. She finished her drink refilling the goblet she felt so lost in this horrible moment nothing made sense nothing all…."
"Too much Tepache will make you ill…it's a very strong alcohol."
Lila looked up meeting Amoxtli's gaze. "Go to Tartarus!" Amoxtli sighed sadly as she watched her take another long drink. "They say that the Blood Jaguar did such evils because she was sad." Lila looked up slowly. "What?" Amoxtli slowly sat down in front of her. "Your sister did such evil because she was full of despair and sadness." Lila took another long drink. "Oh I see my sister was depressed and it caused her to kill twelve people in cold blood…that makes it all so much better." Amoxtli raised her hand slightly. "I see that alcohol makes you rather moody and sarcastic." Lila looked up slightly "Where is Tlaloc?" Amoxtli breathed in deeply focusing herself. "He's not here…."
She turned back looking at the depressed young woman. "To some the Blood Jaguar is a hero and to others a murder it just depends of your point of view." Lila narrowed her gaze. "What is that supposed to mean?" Amoxtli stopped her goblet in mid motion. "It means that you have to understand the reason why your sister killed those men…it also means that you have understand the reason why she was here in the first place." She stood up slowly her gaze lowering. "Sadly I don't know the full answer to ether question but Tlaloc does you should ask him." Lila looked up feeling her anger start to churn. "Is this your way of helping me or just helping yourself?" Amoxtli looked down sadly. "I'm helping you." Lila looked up slightly. "No you're helping yourself…I'm here to die, after all I'm just the bait…."
Amoxtli didn't think as she grabbed her face it wasn't violent more a forceful grip. "Please don't be foolish…your so innocent." She raised her other hand slowly ignoring the girls shock. "You're so like me…your so much like I used to be. My god wants to destroy that and rip it from your soul…please don't let him. In the end you'll become like me and you'll die slowly inside." She pulled away ignoring the girls shock she had properly said too much but she had to say something anything even if her words meant nothing.
End of part 23
Silvermoonlight
